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“Neighborhoods
Grapple With Re-Development” was published in the December Hyde Park
Living. The following is a timeline of
key developments related to the issue.
Updates will be added as they happen.
Spring, 2018
- 1228 Grace Avenue home is sold
to Angelo Pusateri.
- After trees on the property
were demolished, neighborhood residents concerned the house also would be
demolished approached the Mt. Lookout and Hyde Park councils, as well as
Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley.
- Angelo says he applied on May
17 for a lot split of the property and received a response dated that same day from James
Weaver, AICP, Senior City Planner.
- May 18, the City Planning
Commission unanimously voted to begin a 100 day review process for all
subdivision requests in Hyde Park and Mt. Lookout. They also voted unanimously to recommend an
Emergency 90-day IDC [Interim Development Control] which would include a review
of ALL demo permits in Hyde Park and Mt. Lookout.
-
By midnight, May 19, the demolition permit became activated; by noon,
the house was gone.
- May 30, Karen Robertson and the
neighborhood groups spoke at the Economic Growth and Zoning Committee
meeting. The committee, chaired by Amy
Murray, unanimously passed the recommendation of an Emergency 90-day IDC.
Summer, 2018
- June 6, City Council
unanimously voted to pass an Emergency 90-day IDC, a temporary measure which
would not stop demolition or lot split activity; only add an additional level
of review - City Planning Commission approval - to the process.
- During the 90-day IDC, the
Department of City Planning was tasked with the formation of a Neighborhood
Conservation Overlay district. To assist
in this study, City Council created a Subdivision and Zoning Working Group -
visit http://www.cincinnati-oh.gov for details.
- June 15, Planning Commission
hearings for specifically addressing subdivision requests for properties on
Grace Avenue and Grandin Road/Athens were held - both were denied. Later, Angelo Pusateri resubmitted a revised
subdivision request for Grandin Road/Athens approved by the Planning
Commission.
- July 6, the Planning Commission
voted unanimously to recommend up to a nine month extension for the 90-day
IDC.
- Throughout the summer the
Subdivision and Zoning Working Group, with participation and input from
community members, met regularly. Visit
www.cincinnati-oh.gov for details on their activity.
- July 24, a public meeting
organized by the working group was held at the Hyde Park Community United
Methodist Church to discuss recommendations developed to date addressing
demolition and lot split issues in Mt. Lookout and Hyde Park. Community members
were encouraged to attend and actively participate. Speakers included Katherine Keough-Jurs,
director of the Planning Commission; T.J. Ackermann, a member of the working
group representing a large developer; Dan Prevost, a member of the working
group and Mt. Lookout Community Council President; and Laura Whitman, Director
at Large. In addition, Jared Ellis of the Planning Commission staff gave a
power point presentation explaining the
short- and long-term goals for the working group.
- August 17, the Planning
Commission voted unanimously to recommend changing the nine month extension for
the IDC to a three month extension. It also voted to extend the subdivision
regulations for Hyde Park and Mt. Lookout, set to expire on August 24, to expire on December 31 - giving the
Planning Commission additional time to finish rewriting the City's subdivision
regulations.
- August 27, a meeting was held
regarding the Hyde Park and Mt. Lookout IDC.
Mark Quarry, a member of the working group and a staff member of the
Board of Realtors, planned the meeting for all realtors at the Cincinnati Area
Board of Realtors. The Planning Commission staff gave a presentation about the
IDC and answered questions
Fall, 2018
- September 5, a public hearing
took place with the Economic Growth and Zoning Committee concerning the working
groups’ recommendations. It then voted unanimously for the IDC extension and
the working group’s recommendations.
- September 6, City Council
unanimously approved the IDC extension.
However, the Neighborhood Conservation District ordinance was removed
from the agenda by the Mayor and, as a result, was not voted on. Due to City
Council's vote, the demolition permit process reverted to what it was prior to
June 6. Mayor Cranley directed the working group to continue with further
discussions regarding the NCD, reportedly expressing that his major concern is
with lot splits. The working group was
directed to review projects currently in progress and to give City Council
feedback on these projects.
- September 13, the working group
met to start developing a revised strategy focusing on updating City-wide
subdivision regulations. Hyde Park
Neighborhood Council reportedly expressed concerns about establishing such
regulations without input from the other 50 communities; also reportedly, the
Council said this was not their intended responsibility set forth by the Zoning
Committee. Planning staff requested the
working group move forward on this task.
The working group also began to establish a new streamlined application
process for subdividing property combining the demolition request and the
subdivision request process. This would
guarantee developers the certainty they want before committing any money into a
future project.
- September 14, in a meeting with
Mayor Cranley the Hyde Park and Mt. Lookout Community Councils discussed his
removal of the Neighborhood Conservation District from the Council’s
agenda. The Mayor reportedly told the
councils his main interest is with lot splits and that he wants to see more
stringent subdivision regulations. The
councils raised concerns about the premature removal of the demolition review
process for Hyde Park and Mt. Lookout, as well as concerns regarding the size
and scale of new houses on vacant land and replacement houses in these
neighborhoods. Their stated goal is to
ensure the scale of new construction blends with the scale of the current
neighborhood. They recommended the Mayor establish an emergency ordinance
reinstating the IDC to its June 6 state, until the updated subdivision
regulations are passed. By doing this, the communities will continue to be
protected against unwanted reckless demolitions. The Mayor requested his Director of
Legislative Affairs, Rahiel Michael, to work with the City Manager on this.
- September 20, it was announced
at a meeting of the working group the Planning Commission received an emergency
ordinance concerning demolition reviews for Hyde Park and Mt. Lookout. They were to vote on it at the September 21
Planning Commission meeting and recommend it on to the Economic Growth and
Zoning Committee. The ordinance restored
demolition reviews in HP/ML for as long as the IDC is in place - til December
6. If passed, City Council would vote
for final approval on October 3. The
realtor and developers who are members of the working group reportedly said
they did not oppose the ordinance.
- September 21, the Planning
Commission voted to recommend demolition reviews be reinstated. A mailer was to
be sent to all Hyde Park and Mt. Lookout residents to notify them of this
action. This item was to be on the
agenda of the Economic Growth and Zoning Committee on October 30. If passed, it would be voted on by City
Council the following day.
- October 30, City Council voted
unanimously to amend the Hyde Park and Mt. Lookout IDC to include the
following: the review of permits for
demolition and the review of permits for new construction on existing vacant
land and land created by a subdivision. This would remain in effect as long as
the IDC is in effect, til December 6. All subdivision requests in Hyde Park and
Mt. Lookout would continue to be reviewed by the Planning Commission through
the end of this year.
- November 28 the City held a
"Draft Subdivision Rules and Regulations Review and Information
Session" to learn how the new Subdivision Rules and Regulations would
impact lot splits in each neighborhood. Members of all Cincinnati community
councils were invited, however only members of the Hyde Park and Mt. Lookout
councils attended.
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